Tool for manipulating socket caps



Nav. 10, 1925. Y

c. ANDERSON .'robL Foa MANIPULATING sockm CAPs A med' aan. 22, 192s lNvENToR mc /q/vaERSo/Y ATTORNEYS .Patented Nov. i@ 7 Unirse arras PATENT OFFlCE."

CARL ERIC ANDERSON, GF STB-ATFRI), CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR. TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, 'OF BRING-EPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NECTICUT.

TOOL FOR MANIPULATING SOCKET CAPS.

Application filed January 22, 1223. Serial No. 614,190.

To all whom t 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, CARL E. ANDmzsox, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Stratford, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools for Manipulating Socket Caps, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a tool for 1nanipulating socket caps, and particularly the cap of a socket casing of the multiposition catch type. The object of my invention is to provide a tool by which the cap may be conveniently manipulated within the husk of an electric lighting fixture, without injury to the cap or its latching elements.

In the accompanying drawingsl Fig. 1 is a broken side elevation of a lighting fixture showing a socket cap installed;

Fig. 2 is al similar view showing the present tool applied to the cap;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3, Fie. 2;

ig. 4: is a broken section on the line 1 -4t,

Fig. 5 is a section through the tool head alone, corresponding to Fig. 3, but showing theparts in a different position.

Electric lighting fixtures frequently comprise ornamental husks which surround the .lamp socket and encase the latter so completely as to render the installation of the socket directly by hand extremely diflicult, if not practically impossible. The present invention provides a tool which facilitates the installation or the removal of the socket, and particularly of the cap element of the lamp casing which is commonly secured to the end of the fixture pipe. Inasmuch as the cap has latching elements` deformation of which prevents their proper functioning, the tool is particularly designed to prevent injury thereto, while manipulating the cap.

As shown, the socket husk is of tulip 'i shape, and its base 11 is secured to the threaded end 12 of the fixture pipe 13 either by threading directly thereon, or byH means of a nut 14. The husk encases the llamp socket, of which cap 15 is shown iuffull l'lines in Fig.- 1, and the cooperating shell 16 in broken lines. The. cap 15 hastheusual screw nipple 17 ,adapted to .,engage'- thethreaded endI 1'21of 'the pipe 13. `,wi-lllbe the husk ofA such length;

. Observed of such narrow internal diameter that the manipulation of the cap by hand within the husk, is at best a very difficult, not an i1npossible, operation. After the cap 15 has been installed, the shell 16 is readily shoved up within the cap fiange 1S and the coopf @rating latching elements automatically engage. The latching elements of the cap, as illustrated, are those indicated in my copending application Ser. No 613,160, filed January 17, 1923, and comprise an inwardly extending annular flange 19 at the lower margin of the cap to prevent endwise separation of the shell 16, together with one or more inwardly pressed ribs 20 adapted to take into apertures 21 in the telescoping area of the shell and prevent relative rotation of the parts. The latching means, however, may be of any suitable type, and the present tool is not limited in its utility to a socket having cap and shell fastenings of this particular type.

The tool comprises a tubular shank 22 carrying at one end a head 23 of a diameter slightly less than the internal diameter of the flange area 18 of the cap, so that it will fit therein but be halted by the shoulder 24 of the cap, and thus accurately positioned within the lang area of the latter in operative position. Notches or recesses 25 are formed in the margin or periphery of the tool'head 23 to freely accommodate the inwardly struck ribs 20 of the cap flange. The tool head 23 is swivelled upon the hub 220 of the stem 22, and is held in position thereon between a shoulder 26 on the stem, and a washer 27 above the head, the end 28 of the stem being spun over the washer 27 to permanentlyv secure the head on the stem.

In order to establish an operative engagement, on the one hand between the tool head 23 Vandthe flange 18 of the socket cap, and on the otherhand between thestem 22 and the tool head 23, the head is slotted atl 29 at substantially right .angles to the axis of the stem, the slot cutting the central hole 30 in the head through which the stem passes. A cap-gripping member in the fiorm of'a plate 31' is arranged in the slot and is eece'n'trirmllyV pivoted 'at' 32 on the rivet 33 passing through the tool head. At

-itsjinnerf'edge vthe plate 31 is notched at 34 to wr'ovid 'Ilbearingiace adapted tocOOpeoV erate with a camming flat 35 cutin the side of the hub 220 of the stem 22 and facing the edge of the plate 3l. The relationof the notch31l and fiat 35 is lsuchthat when their faces are parallel the plate 31 may be swung inward on its pivot 33 until its arcuate margin 36 coincides with, or lies within the peripheral boundary of the tool head. IVhen, however, the stem 22 is rotated in either direction with respect to the head, one or the other end of theflat 35 bears against the face of the notch 34- and cams the plate outward into gripping engagement with the cap flange'. The outward lnovement of the plate 3l is limited, however, by the engagement of its nose 37 against the face 38 of the slot 29, and the relation of these parts is such that while the outward throw ofthe plate ,3l under the actionof the cam Haft 35 is suliicient t-o for'ce the platev into'- gripping engagement with theflanger of the 'socket cap, it is impossible to exert enough pressu-re onthe latter to permanently' deformv it.

The limited throw of the plate also limits the swivelling action of the stem 22 with respect to'- the tool head 23,` so that only a sli'gllfit angular motion of the one with rcspect to the other is permitted, before a driving engagement is established If desired,- a spring may be' provided between the grip plate and the head of the tool to maintain the plate normally in rrtracted positi'on..

It will be noted that the lplate is locatedin the arcuate area between the notches 25,

which receive the ribs 20 of the cap,- and that the plate 31 thei'fefore eirg'agesthe plain face of the cap hang, unoccupied by the latching" elements or ribs 20 which are thus' inv nov danger of deformation by the plate 3l'. Any suitable means may be employed for rotating the tool stem' 223, for instance, a pin passed through the liole 39 at the oppof site end. of the stein. It will also' be noto that the stem 22 is hollow, s'o that the wire cable et()i which is led to the 'socket through' the conduit 13,: may' be accommodated in the stern during the adj.-ustment-y of the cap, although this is not necessary.-

The op ration of the tool will be readily understood. Assuming husk' l0 to' have been. secured.- to the pipeendf. and the wirev cable 40 drawn through the latter,- the. socket cap 15 placedupon the tool head 23 in such .position that its. iibs'f 2Q enter thev notches 25, th stein 22 beingl in such. rela tion to thehead 23 that the plate 31. is re-` tracted and-liesl within the peripheral area of the tool. head. eapthus positioned ori the tool. is than liftd 'into the hash-,- the' wire eabl'e'j l0 passing t ritagli nippleot ai. Capi and iineniftenw stem 'as ef. are toh the Sti l2 totted toi the cap hipplc- Fz thath-dsd cnet 'l of the' pipe, the resultingfiictional dragceuses th@ stem to rotate with respect to the head 23 and thus to cam the plate 3l outward into gripping cngagernent with the cap flange. The eil'ort exerted by the tool in screwing the cap firmly against the washer 14 is' thus taken by the cap liange, and not by the latching elements 20. The latter are thus saved from possible distortion or injury due to shearing strains, which would otherwise be imposed thereon. stalled, it is only nec ssary to rotate the stem 22 slightly in the reverse direction to release the plate 3l, whereupon the tool may be withdrawn from thev cap. Should it be desired to remove the cap aftr installation,

the tool is inserted in the cap and rotated in the reverse direction, with the result that the grip-plate 3l is again thrown outward .intogripping engagement with the cap flange, and theI cap readily' unscrewe'd.

Various modifications in dtail of construction will occur to those dealing with the problem, without departing from the broader principle which I claim as my in- Vention.l

I claiml. In a tool of the character described, a head adapted to enter a socket cap and marginally recessed to engage latching elements in the cap, a member associated with said h ad and movable into gripping. engagement with the cap in tlre area of the latter unoccupied by the latching elements, togeth-er with a tool stem rotatable with respect to said head and serving on displacement with respect to the latter to shift the capgripping member into engagement with the cap.

2. In a tool of the charact'r described, a head adapted to enter a socket cap and man ginally recessed to' engage latching elements in the cap,k a .member associated with said head and movable into gripping engagement with the cap in the area of the latter unoccupied by the latching flernents, together with a tool stem rotatable with respect to said head andi serving. on displacement with respect to the latter to shifty the cap-gripping member intol engagement with the cap, saidtool stem. being hollow for the accom- Inodatifon ofwires passing into thev cap;

3. I-n a tool of the character described, a head adapted to inter a socket cap and marginally recessed to engage latchine; elements on the cap', said head being slotted in a pla-ne normal to its axis, a gripping. member pivoted in said slot, together 'with a toelstem rmattablfel with respect to said head,-vv but hating an op ra-tite engagement witlils'a-id, gpping, member to displace the litter in the plane "et the slot on retention of the with respect to' the tool head/ Y whereof L havel eignen time@ It.

f 'CARL anpassen After the cap is inlll) 

